


in your eyes (i see there's something burning inside you)

by kelse_y



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Healing, I just love them, Porn With Plot, Post-Canon, carlos is the sweetest, jill needs a break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:13:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23800606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelse_y/pseuds/kelse_y
Summary: “I’m not weak,” She said through clenched teeth, putting a heavy weight on her words. Her face showed a mix of anger and disbelief. And even though Jill could’ve extended the argument, her strength was disappearing, the grip was becoming loose and the fear of not being able to move forward haunted her.“I… I know you aren’t, Jill.” His voice was soft and gentle, assuring her with a tender tone. What he thought about her would never change. Everyone needs to rest sometimes. “But you’re still human.”
Relationships: Carlos Oliveira/Jill Valentine
Comments: 5
Kudos: 98





	in your eyes (i see there's something burning inside you)

**Author's Note:**

> hi guys! welcome to my first RE work! i'm fairly new to the fandom so please, have some patience (constructivism criticism are always welcomed) Also, a huge thank you to @cutie1365 (on tumblr) for being my beta reader, english is not my first language, so i'm really happy with the help!  
> i hope you like as much as i liked writing. i mean, who am i kidding? i loved writing it!

“You’re quiet.”

Carlos’ voice was distant and low, as if he didn’t intend to make that remark out loud but it escaped from his thoughts and came out of his mouth anyway. The hours had ticked by since the explosion, the sky was a dark gray color, even though it was past 9AM. There were no birds in sight, not even the sun was visible. The grey clouds filled the vision until you couldn’t see past it, as if the world had lost its colors.

The only sound was coming from the helicopter engine, and Jill was fine with the quiet atmosphere for once. No dangers, no death, no unbearable cries from innocent people. She could let her guard down for a few hours without having to worry who, or what was going to be waiting for her when she opened the next door.

But even if Jill wanted to rest, she  _ couldn’t _ . Her body wasn’t in the best state, and even taking care of a few wounds, it still  _ hurt _ . Every inch of her being was begging for some rest, some food. With every passing hour her body was sinking down, bones becoming stones. The horrors of the night had made a pretty impact and now that the adrenaline had sadly disappeared, she could feel it all. It hurt even to breath, and sometimes she would think that maybe she had one or two broken ribs. But, as incredible as it seems, she was  _ alive _ , with her entire body to tell the story. 

However, she couldn’t say the same for her mind. Broken into million pieces, it was hard to get them all together again, if that was even possible. Not that her will was gone,  _ far _ from that. It was stronger than ever before. But her conciseness, her grief, the guilt... It was hard to handle. In the moment she would try to close her eyes, the darkness would surrender her and shortly after it was hard to breath. Even if the horrors that she saw in the city that night were gone, - disintegrated by a cruel missile - she couldn’t say the same for the ones that stayed on her mind. Marked like a scar, literally. 

“I’m not known to be the most talkative person.” Jill answered after some time. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to him, it was just that she was tired. Tired from the weight of the world falling over her shoulder _all over_ _again_. From having to deal with an evil that was much bigger than her, that had no beginning nor end. A mess of problems, tangled all together without any answer. And it came down to her to bring justice back to this brutal and merciless world they unfortunately live in.

“Of course.” Carlos replied, letting a small laugh escape from his lips, not pushing the conversation any further. He drummed his fingers on the panel for some time before speaking again. “I didn’t want to be the one bringing bad news but… I just wanted to let you know we are running out of gas. I guess we are far enough away from the explosion by now so we can land somewhere safe before it’s too late.”

Jill breathed in deep, letting a sigh come out of her mouth. So, it was over. She looked over the window, trying to see anything besides clouds, but it was in vain. The quiet peace that was found in the sky was going to be over as soon as she put her feet on the ground again. She wasn’t ready to pick up the pieces of her mind and try to heal them just yet, but if that’s what she needed to do in order to accomplish her promise, she would. 

Even with her body protesting against it, Jill stood up and went to sit beside Carlos, looking at the panel with all of those many bottoms and lights, the sky seemed so clear from the front seat. She could feel the man glancing over her with the corner of his eyes. Expecting her to say or do something probably, but instead, she returned the glance, and as if he was a deer caught in the night, he looked away quickly. Carlos cleared his throat before speaking again.

“I think we are close to a place safe that we can stay, we could try to contact someone to pick us up...”

“Stopping wasn’t in my plans,” Jill said straight away. 

She was so sure of herself that Carlos was caught by surprise with the ferocity that those words carried. He looked at her with the corner of his eyes again. It had become a habit doing that, admiring her from far away – she was somehow like the sun, beautiful but too bright to look directly – Or maybe he knew he was no match for a woman like Valentine. 

“It’s just for a couple of days, maybe less,” He tried to explain. “I don’t think we can go on like this. Rest is important,” He finished, sounding like a  _ stupid  _ protective dad, which he cursed himself. At least he hoped Jill would understand what he meant. 

He had noticed the dark circles under her eyes. The way her body moved, too stiff and heavy. How she tried to catch some sleep but would wake up minutes later, with hands on her eyes and a frown on her face. 

_ How could he not?  _

Carlos wanted to give her some time to heal, after all the things they had gone through that night, he knew Valentine wasn’t in her best shape. And, as Carlos liked to think he knew Jill – just a little but enough – she was determined and too proud to stop, even if that meant it would kill her in the end. It was up to him to bring her to earth again.

“I’m not weak,” She said through clenched teeth, putting a heavy weight on her words. Her face showed a mix of anger and disbelief. And even though Jill could’ve extended the argument, her strength was disappearing, the grip was becoming loose and the fear of not being able to move forward haunted her.

“I… I know you aren’t, Jill.” His voice was soft and gentle, assuring her with a tender tone. What he thought about her would never change. Everyone needs to rest sometimes, and that included a supercop like her. “But you’re still human.”

Carlos looked at her directly this time, locking his eyes with hers. Jill lifted her chin by instinct. After all those years in the army, constantly having to prove herself worth it, fighting for respect, it was automatic to fall in the old habit, being defensive was one of them.

But she knew Oliveira wasn’t trying to push her to do something, it was a choice. It was down to her in the end. If Valentine decided to continue, he was going to follow, no matter what. And she was extremely thankful for that. Even if the events that lead their paths to cross were messed up, she was still glad she got to meet someone like him.

They held each other’s gaze for some time, though it felt like hours to Carlos. At some point, he forgot about his surroundings and started to notice how blue Jill’s eyes shine with the light of the day. Something he hadn’t noticed in that dark and horrible night when they met. 

Jill was the first one to look away, finally relaxing in the seat beside him. She breathed in deep, rubbing her eyes in exhaustion, finally saying “Okay.”

***

“How do you know this place?”

Jill asked after a quick search around the surrounding area. The woods were pretty much clean besides the animals they could hear – she made sure it was  _ only _ animals living in the woods. And even though the trees were tall and large, the place where they had landed had an oddly specific clearing, as if it was meant to be there. A worn-out path could still be seen from the front of the porch of the house - what probably was once a road now was taken by plants and weeds. A signal of nature taking back what was once part of itself. 

The house seemed pretty fine and still strong to give enough shelter for a few days. Even though from the outside it seemed ready to fall, the infrastructure was still there. The color of the walls was gone, - worn out by time - the wooden planks were visible in some places inside the house where the wallpaper was one day. The floor made too much noise when they walked and there was dust everywhere – or at least, in the objects that were left behind in that abandoned house.

Still, they had to be careful. It was a small possibility, but they could _ never _ know if someone had followed them, or if something had survived the explosion. If there was something Jill learned that night was that something is  _ never _ dead until you confirm it, until you do it yourself – And luck wasn’t something she could rely on. 

“I’ve been here with the army before, back in the day when I was just a careless brat.” Carlos answered, grabbing the last pack of supplements they had found hidden inside the helicopter. There were three in total, in which two of them had just a few cereal bars and water bottles. However, the last one had some medicine left, which Carlos celebrated with a whistle. 

“It was a place for the beginners to train and get used to the nature and harsh environments.” He continued, staring at the woods. “Since it was far away from the city,  _ it was the perfect place to grow _ , as they would say,” His eyes became more distant and soft around the edges, lost in some kind of memory.

Carlos smiled just a little bit, still glancing at the woods and Jill couldn’t help but to stare at him throughout the entire time. Even though his features were strong, - the beard gave him a tough look - his face had some kind of softness to it - as if the harsh training and tough paths he had chosen didn’t erase all his original personality. He emanated warmth in some way she couldn’t understand but found herself drawn to it with the more they got closer. 

Valentine definitely wasn’t the happy kid she was then, the memories of her childhood lost in some void in her mind, erased by the hard training she went through. After all, she couldn’t be that kid anymore even if she wanted to. The position she was in, the traumas, the world they live in, it was impossible to remain the same. 

However, she appreciated people like Carlos, that could still be themselves for most part of it, that didn’t let the world consume them entirely. This type of people still had faith inside their hearts, the purest of them. Impossible to be corrupted. Oliveira was her luck then. 

“I bet you had a lot of fun.” She commented, almost whispering. The peaceful silence that had fallen between them was too comforting to ruin it. 

Carlos gave the woods one last glance before returning his attention to Jill, there was a smile on his face and his eyes would gleam with the light. He laughed and shook his head before turning away. Jill was still glancing at him when he grabbed the last pack and headed to the house. 

“Eventually, they moved to the city, it lost its fun somehow.”

Jill felt the amount of melancholy that the last phrase carried. And, although she couldn’t see his face anymore, the gloom that fell over him was impossible to not notice. Maybe he had changed after all. That’s what the world does in the end. 

They entered the house silently - save the cracks coming from the floor. The world was still a big cloud of grey, at least from where their eyes could reach. The sun was nowhere to be seen, but it was getting dark and cold. Regardless of the distance, they were still unprepared if something came up, so even if a fireplace would be nice, caution was the first rule to follow. 

Jill gave the woods a final glance, half expecting something to come out of the dark. Her breath was caught on her throat and her heart rate jumped in a second when a shadow appeared next to the helicopter. 

But it was just an owl. The sound of the crickets filled her ears instead. 

She finally closed the door with a heavy sigh. Maybe just for this night she would be able to sleep. Also, there was someone by her side, she wasn’t alone this time around. Carlos had placed the last pack on the table, then proceeded to unpack the three of them, separating the items they could still use and throwing away what he considered trash. 

“Ah! If I remember correctly, there was a bomb that would pump the water from the river to the shower.” Carlos stopped what he was doing, leaving the supplies on the table and walking over a new entrance that was in the end of the kitchen area. She followed right after, the idea of having a shower after being covered with blood the entire night was too good to be true. 

The bathroom wasn’t exactly the cleanest place in the house, but it was enough for her to feel a little bit of happiness blooming on her chest, they could make it work. But in the first try, when Carlos turned the register on, nothing came out. 

The little seed of happiness that was planted inside Valentine was dying while she watched Carlos trying to make the shower to work, he would turn it on and turn it off. She supposed it was something they did back in the day because Carlos didn’t show any sign of worry. It took him a few minutes before the sound of running water filled their ears and a small but enough trace of water came down from the shower.

“Ah, there you go. It just needed a little pump!” Carlos celebrated with a little punch in the air and smiled at Jill, and she couldn’t help but smile too. 

“I guess we are going to finally be able to wash away all of… this.” He made a motion to himself, there was not a single place free from dirt, blood and a few other things Jill didn’t want to bother to name it. 

“A shower would be… really nice.” She said, running her hand through her short hair that was a mess. She couldn't wait to be clean from everything that was impregnated on her skin. Was too hopeful to think that the water would be able to wash away the darkest thoughts of her mind as well? Maybe not, but it was a small step closer. 

Jill’s voice sounded slightly tired and Carlos didn’t let that go unnoticed, “I’ll go look through the cabinets to see if I can find something for us to eat, those cereal bars are the worst. You can go first.”

He was gone before she could say anything in protest. Jill knew he was doing that because he cared about her wellbeing. Yet, her mind would still whisper angry and bad words at him. Result of years of mistrust and prejudice had created trust issues that were hard to forget. it had always been her against the world. Save her team, but that was another story. 

_ He thinks you’re fragile. He thinks he needs to protect you because you’re weak.  _

However, that was something she had learned to shut down since the first time she met him. Carlos was a good man - he had  _ saved _ her for god’s sake! If there was someone in this world she could trust, it was him. Pushing away those thoughts was easy. It was only going to annoy her if she kept with the same mindset. 

Next, she got rid of her clothes and turned the register on. The coldness of the water abruptly met her skin, making her shudder. However, after a while she got used to it. It would be good, a hot water to burn all the dirt on her skin, but she wouldn’t complain. The limpid water washed away everything that was undesirable and she felt clean for the first time in  _ days.  _

A light knock on the door took Jill out of her thoughts. She waited to see if Carlos would say something but only the sound of the water against her body could be heard. For a moment she thought if she should go see what the knock was, though, if it was something important he would have said something. So, she decided to stay for a few more minutes under the cold water. Not daring to face the world just yet. 

***

Jill found Carlos in the kitchen. She had the towel around her neck, stopping the drops of water from falling into her new clothes – well, not  _ that  _ new. Still, they were clean clothes, and a little more comfortable than what she was wearing before – And even though the sweatpants were loose around her waist, the oversized shirt covered everything, no problems then.

“Refreshing?” Carlos asked with a grin on his face. He held out his hand, pointing to the clothes Jill was holding, she handled it to him and watched him put them inside a basket. 

She tries to dry her hair again with the towel, “Very.” 

He smiled again, and Jill wasn’t sure about what. Probably he was amused with something. The corner of his mouth would lift just for a few seconds, and Jill couldn’t help but notice it every single time. 

“Well, I found some soups. Thankfully they haven't expired yet.” He says, opening a small cabinet above the sink. “I hope you like tomato soup.”

“I’ll cook it,” Jill states a little bit too harshly. Maybe the thoughts surrounding her mind didn’t completely vanish, and she curses herself for the childish action. “While you go shower, it’s your turn.”

“Okay.” Carlos answered, picking up the clothes he had separated for himself and headed to the bathroom. He threw a last glance over his shoulder and Jill stared back, wondering what he was thinking. And even after he was gone, she was still staring at the place he was. 

***

Even with Jill’s angry protests, Carlos insisted on lighting a candle - so they could at least see where they were going. The night had finally fallen in the little house in the middle of nowhere, and for someone that spent a lot of time in the woods, Carlos knew the nights could be darker and colder than in the city. He wanted to light the fireplace too, but Valentine’s arguments were too strong to deny – After all, she had a lot more experience than him. 

Although, he would like to believe he had enough knowledge to get them out of there alive. Yet, he couldn’t be angry with Valentine. His pride was still intact. Jill was a woman like no other, and seeing her in action - even though it was just a little bit of fire – was quite nice. 

Carlos placed the candle in the middle of the table, and for a moment Jill asked herself if that was on purpose, proceeding to throw at him a suspicious glance, in which he only answered with a shrug. She decided to let it pass then – It would’ve been one of the most romantic acts someone had ever done for her though, and that speaks a lot about the experiences she had had in the past. 

The soup wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t on her favorite list but when you’re hungry, anything will do the job. She had only noticed that her stomach was empty the moment the liquid went down her throat, awakening a hunger she didn’t know she had until then. It was hard not to swallow everything down, but she managed to remain composure. 

They ate in silence. The quiet atmosphere was soothing and the crickets were singing louder outside now that the night had arrived. Jill had to admit the light from the candle was welcoming, the heat from it would warm at least her hands and illuminate the house that at that point had too many shadows and shapes for her liking. 

It was strange though, sitting there with Carlos, eating like it was just another normal day in their lives. She found herself comfortable with the moment, and just for a moment her imagination took her to another place – where things were easier, where the house was reformed and they didn’t have to worry about anything else beside the plants that were growing in the garden. 

Jill laughed softly with the scenario. Carlos lifted an eyebrow and she dismissed, shaking her head. He didn’t insist but kept glancing at her with the corner of his eyes. 

Of course, that would  _ never _ happen. Jill wasn’t that type of woman, and she would never be.  _ Could  _ never be. And she believed Carlos also wasn’t the type to settle down with such a normal life. They both had strong beliefs - the field they had chosen for themselves was proof of it. Nonetheless, it would never work. They would end up frustrated with themselves before anything else.

The dinner was calm apart from the ongoing exchange of glances – when they thought the other one wasn’t looking. However, the truth was: they  _ knew _ what was happening and didn’t bother to stop. There was something between them that Jill couldn’t pinpoint just yet what it was, but it was something different. Watching Carlos had become something she did naturally, as if she expected him to do something, say something, anything that would explain what was happening between them. But being completely honest, he probably didn’t know what it was either. Not completely at least. 

At some point, their eyes met. And they stopped pretending they weren’t watching each other over the table. The candle light trembled a little and Carlos’ eyes brightened with the light. His hair was still wet and Jill could see a small drop traveling from his forehead to his eyes. He held her gaze with some kind of curiosity and her skin itched with something unknown to her. Carlos was about to say something when Jill yawned, breaking the spell that had fallen over them for those small minutes. 

“Well, a good night’s sleep would be nice right now.” He says, throwing one last look in Jill’s direction before getting up. 

She wondered what he was going to say, but maybe it was for the best it remained unsaid. There was no time for that. While Jill picked up the soup cans and threw in the trash, Carlos picked up the plate that the candle was placed in it. Heading to the stairs. She followed right behind him. 

“The mattresses aren’t the best around here. The budget was pretty low back then.” He said, his voice almost lost between the sounds coming from the cracks of the stairs. 

“I’ll take it.” She had already slept in so many uncomfortable places she had lost count. However, her body was asking for something nice, soft - where it could start the process of healing unbothered.

“It’s over here.” Carlos pointed to a door at the end of the corridor. There were two more bedrooms on that floor but he went straight to the last one. “This one is where I used to sleep.” He explained, opening the door. Jill entered first. 

The bedroom wasn’t big. Only 6 beds inside with a small nightstand beside it. The window didn’t have curtains and the top of the trees were visible from there. The light of the moon entered the room, nearly giving a feeling of hauntedness. 

Carlos went for the bed next to the window. Jill found it funny how much he was attached to the past. Unlike her that couldn’t remember half of the places she went when she was in the army. It was always changing, so why get attached to one place? Though, she remembered every face she had ever met. And that hurt even more. 

She chose the bed in front of his. Maybe the light of the moon would help her to not feel helpless in her sleep. For their luck, some beds still had blankets. So, after a quickly shake of the mattress and the blankets – and after sneezing because of the dust – they finally went to bed. 

The quiet night with the sounds of the woods were a lullaby to Jill. The sounds of the city would never stop and she had become used to the sirens, the loud cars and people talking underneath her window. But here, in the woods, the silent could be almost scary. Although, at the same time it would bring a peace Jill hadn’t felt in a long time. Her head fell heavy against the pillow. 

“I know this is not the time, but I feel like I should ask,” Carlos called, a bit of uncertainty showing on his voice. “…If you don’t mind.”

“Go ahead.” 

It was late in the night; her body melting together with the bed. The blanket wasn’t the best but was doing its job. She felt warm and comfortable, her eyes begging to be closed – much heavier now that she was feeling clean and relaxed.

“Why you?” He asked, still uncertain with his words. “I mean, why was that monster after you, of all people?”

Jill fell silent after the question. To remember that night in that mountain, where everything started was melancholic in a certain way.  _ Hell _ followed her after that, and she couldn’t escape from it anymore. The webs of Umbrella were already tangled with her fate. A nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. She breathed deeply, thinking back to that night that changed her life forever.

“Two months ago, my team and I were sent to the Arklay mountain, to investigate a disappearance.” She started, remembering every single word, every single thing she had witnessed. “We were attacked by some demoniac dogs. So we run, finding a mansion in the middle of the forest.” 

At the same time Jill cursed herself from entering that mansion, from going into that mission, she would thank the opportunity that was given to her. If she hadn’t discovered those experiments that night, what could have happened? Was there anyone to confront Umbrella like she pretended to do? Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t. She should stop thinking about what could have been. The present was what it mattered now. 

“After some investigations we discovered that the mansion was just a facade. The place was actually a laboratory. An  _ Umbrella _ laboratory.” Images started to flood her mind. The experiments, the traitor, the T-virus, Chris, Rebecca… It had been a while since she thought about the events of that day, too bitter to remember. 

“In the end, we discovered about the virus that they were creating and had gone out of control.” She continued, focusing on the pale moon in the sky. “We almost died that night. Another one of those  _ fuckers _ attacked us.” Cursing was a way to let the anger flow through her, everything seemed easier when you could just curse it. 

“So it wasn’t the first time you’ve encountered something like that… That actually explains almost everything.” He sounded amused with himself and Jill couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“We knew too much, they needed to cover their tracks. That’s why.” She said, weary from all those memories and feelings. She just wanted to sleep away everything, like she always did. 

“I’m glad they never succeed.” Carlos said, almost in a whisper. And if there was anything more behind those worlds, she was just too tired to figure it out. 

“I wonder what happened to the rest of the team. To Chris...” Jill thought out loud, not noticing the words before they came out of her mouth.

It wasn’t the first time she thought about her team. They were good and talented people but were struggling with Umbrella as much as she was. Their lives would never go back to normal, Run, hide, kill and stay alive. It was a twisted routine now. 

There was a pause, she felt Carlos moving on his bed. He cleaned his throat. 

“Is he your…”

“No.” Jill didn’t even let him finish. 

Chris was an essential part of her life though. They have known each other for such a long time, probably longer than anyone ever will. But that was it. They have always been focused on their goals to pay attention to anything else. And after all, they were really good friends, ruin that with a relationship that wasn’t going to work in the end was a waste. Jill hoped he was somewhere safe in Europe, and maybe they would meet again to bring Umbrella down together. 

Silent filled the room and Jill believed that was the end of the conversation. Carlos was from a different world from hers - but somehow, both worlds crashed together. He was only a man following orders and she was a woman breaking a lot of them. He didn’t need to run, she ran all the time. And here they were now, following the same path. And not knowing where it would lead them.

“Good night, Jill. And… thanks, for telling me.” Carlos called from the other side of the room, he had both arms behind his head and his eyes were looking directly to the window. “Sleep well.”

Jill took some time to answer. Still lost in random thoughts, her mind had already lost its ability to think straight. Some time passed, the clouds were changing in the sky and the moon finally appeared after a long time and Carlos would have missed the whisper that came out of Jill’s mouth if he wasn’t paying attention to her.

“…You too”

***

_ Cold.  _

It was the only thing Jill could feel. Cold entering her body, piercing her skin like it was made of paper. A torturous and slow process, from the tip of her toes to inside of her being. She could feel it right through her veins, reaching her heart. A freezing cold that would paralyze her movements and let a heavy weight fail into her chest. Her heart beat’s decrease with the ticks of the clock. Loud in her head.  _ Furious _ on her mind.

There was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. The darkness swallowed her whole. Was this all even  _ real _ ? All Valentine could see was shadows surrounding her, mysterious figures with evil expressions. And as much as she wanted to run, she couldn’t. The strength had left her body and only her mind was awake. 

_ Run!  _ The voices on her mind screamed.  _ Run! _

The faces became more visible and if her heart didn’t stop then, it did now. Rotten flesh, skinless fingers and bloody eyes around her, maliciously watching her - as if she was a piece of meat, as if she was an  _ experiment.  _

Jill tried to scream, tried to move. Nothing happened. 

Someone from afar started to approach. The sound of the flesh against the floor was too familiar for her liking. In each step, the images started to get blurry, spinning at a fast pace. She felt drifting off from reality. 

“Jill.” They called. 

Suddenly, everything stopped - her heart and body altogether. An icy chill ran down her spine when their eyes met. 

***

“Jill!” Carlos called again, wiping up the sweat from Jill’s forehead. She was soaking from the heat. “Wake up!”

Jill’s body jerked forward and her eyes came right open. She gasped and clutched at her shirt, right where her heart was. Her pupils were big - a pit of dark inside an intense blue. She tried to regain her breath by focusing on a specific point of the room. And probably didn’t notice that her other hand was strongly holding Carlos arm. He stayed right where he was. Giving Jill all the time she needed to recover. 

Carlos had woken up early. The sound of the birds on the window were his natural alarm. And he would have stayed in bed for just a little longer… But Jill was moving too much in her sleep - which he found odd - since for the entire night she didn’t move an inch. He came closer, trying not to disturb her, but was immediately closer to her when he noticed she was having a nightmare. For a moment he pondered – would she get mad at him for trying to help? 

Carlos didn’t think twice when he saw that Jill’s cheeks were red and her hair was soaked. By only standing next to her, he could  _ feel  _ how hot her body heat was. She had a fever as well. 

Jill closed her eyes and relaxed her features, still holding her shirt. The birds could be heard, singing in the distance. The wind against the trees was very soothing. The calm of the woods helped bring Jill back to earth. To reality. 

“You’re burning.” He said after some minutes. Her breath seemed to have slowed down a little and the grip on his arm was almost gone. “Here, drink some water.” He handed her a bottle of water, which she gratefully took and drank entirely.

“I think your body is fighting against the fatigue and stress you’ve been through.” 

But, as expected, she wasn’t going to listen. Jill’s features pulled into a scowl with the remark. She handed him the empty bottle and as if she was trying to prove something to him, she got out of the bed in a blink of an eye. 

“Wait!” 

Unfortunately, her body didn’t have the same determination as her mind. Her legs gave in, making her knees meet the floor in a loud thud. Her head – for a tiny fraction - almost hit the nightstand if Carlos hadn’t stopped the fall, holding her arm and waist. 

“No!” She tried to push him away, angrily punching his chest with one hand - while trying to get up by holding the nightstand with the other. Carlos knew Jill’s determination was unbreakable, she would kill herself before letting someone tell her what to do. A woman in a million for sure. 

However, he couldn’t help himself and not get worried. He wanted – almost  _ craved _ – to help her. His mouth held words he would never dare to say. But his body stopped right in his tracks, not wanting to invade her space even more - though it would  _ inch _ everywhere. 

“I have… to keep… go…” Jill had taken a few steps towards the door but didn’t complete the phrase when her knees failed to sustain her weight again. The fever was burning her senses and fogging her vision. 

“Jill!” This time, Carlos was ready to catch her. He held her body right on time, stopping it from falling into the cold floor and getting herself hurt. Her skin burned against his. Sweat ran down her temples and fell in his shirt. She breathed in deep, clutching into his shirt.

Without saying a word, they made their way back to the bed. Valentine was starting to drift off, blinking harder every time her eyes tried to stay close. Carlos helped her lay back, holding her head and softly placing it on the pillow. 

The blanket was tossed away sometime during the nightmare. Carlos found it underneath the bed. He helped Jill with it - and surprisingly enough - she didn’t deny the action. He tugged the end of the blanket underneath the mattress so it wouldn’t move around anymore.

When Carlos was sure Jill wasn’t going to get up anytime soon, he quickly went downstairs to grab some medicine - he hoped he could find something to help calm down the fever. Jill had her eyes closed, a deep frown forming on her forehead when he came back. Her breath was steady - although it still looked like she had to force herself to pull the air into her lungs. 

“Here, take this.” He said softly.

Jill opened her eyes slowly, looking at the white pill in his hand. She stared at it for a while and Carlos wondered what she was thinking, it was impossible to read her face. He could have helped, but Jill was too proud to accept it, so he didn’t insist when she took the pill from his hand. Not that she needed any anyway, she swallowed it without any water. 

“Don’t worry,” He started, “I will try to call someone today; your plans won’t be delayed.”

_ Your plans.  _ Carlos knew that it was almost certain their paths were going to divert at some point. Like the other night, Jill could handle any situation by herself, she didn’t  _ actually _ need him. However, he would be more than happy to be by her side. After all, it was his fight as well. He wanted to bring Umbrella down - after all the horror he saw that night -, it was impossible to not want to bring justice upon them. Even if that meant never seeing Jill again. 

Carlos sat on the bed next to hers, scratching the back of his neck. The morning had been really something, he tried to do the best he could. However, Jill wasn’t like the others. And because of that, things were even harder and complicated - but at same time, even more interesting.

He was taken out of his thought when he noticed that Jill was watching him from behind heavy eyelids. And he couldn’t help but stare back, her eyes had gone back to normal, the intense blue shining in the morning light. 

And suddenly, overwhelmed with something he still couldn’t put a finger on, his thoughts came out of his mouth in a quiet whisper, “You’re not weak. You know that, right?”

Jill stared at him for a while, not showing any sight of change in her features. Carlos could hear his heartbeat. There were so many things he wanted to say but remained silent. Jill wasn’t the type of woman that needed approval of any kind. He knew it would only piss her even more. She knew her worth, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t recognize it. 

After what seemed like hours, Jill looked away. And Carlos didn’t notice until then that he was holding his breath.

***

The damp cloth against Jill’s forehead paired with the medicine seemed to be helping bring down the fever. Carlos was making sure to change the cloth between hours. He didn’t rest for the rest of the day, and even when Jill fell asleep, he stayed in the bed next to her. 

The only time he left the bedroom was to try to contact someone as he had promised to her. But with his luck, no one answered it. He decided to not bother Jill until he got any answer. Carlos ate something and pondered if Jill would want some too. She was still too delirious to be able to eat on her own, so he pushed the idea aside. He would only offer her the food when she could eat by herself. 

The day went by without any major problem. The woods were alive and loud and sometimes he would catch a glimpse of a deer walking between the trees. Sometimes a squirrel. He missed hearing the sounds of nature instead of the awful ones from the city - it was too much for someone that grew up between trees and mud. He went back inside after a last look around the place, even though Jill was sick, he knew she would have want to check the place every now and then, to make sure they were still safe. 

After feeling up the bucket, he went back to the room to check up on Jill. And she was in the same way he had left her. The fever had calmed down a little and her skin wasn’t burning anymore, though it was still hot to the touch. 

The sight reminded him of the night in the hospital, when he thought Jill wasn’t going to make it. When he desperately went through the entire hospital to look for a vaccine, even if that was a false promise. He had know her for only a few hours then, maybe less. However, he  _ knew _ he needed to save her, no matter what. 

Carlos approached quietly, placing the bucket on the nightstand. He had brought the bed a little bit closer to hers so he could sit while taking care of her. The cloth had gone warm, so he took it out of her forehead carefully and dipped it in the cold water. He was twisting the cloth when she stirred up in the bed.

“Tell me something, a story maybe.” Jill whispered, her voice still weak from the fever. 

Carlos glanced towards her, but she had her eyes closed. For a moment he thought about wanting to see her blue eyes again, but he dismissed right away. 

“A story? Let me think.” He pondered for some time. There were quite a few stories he could tell, but most of them where memories he didn’t want to remember, didn’t want to revisit - bittersweet to its end. He decided to go with a light one.

“Back in the day, when I used to live and train here, there was this guy named Samuel.” Carlos started. “He was very tall and very skinny too.” He completed, picking up the cloth again and dipping into the water. 

“He would say that he only entered the army because he didn’t know what to do with his life.” Jill pulled a frown on her face, making a tiny smile spread on Carlos’s face. 

At least for him, it was kind of normal to hear that. Samuel wasn’t the first to say it, nor the last. Most people didn’t have the same mindset like his or Jill’s. Some of them found their way entering the army, others, leaving. Somehow, it was a place to grow and learn. Learn that life wasn’t easy and that you should grow to be able to deal with it. 

But of course, everything he believed until nights ago was stained forever. Like the blood of the innocents on his shirt. 

“The guy was very clumsy, he couldn’t cut a wood with an axe to save his life.” He laughed, wringing the cloth, taking the excess of water off of it so it would not soak the pillow. “My superiors would call him tiny Captain America.”

Jill laughed softly at that, her mouth curved in a small smile, making her features soften up a little and Carlos had to remind himself what he was saying. 

“One day, when we were training in the woods, he fainted in the middle of the road. His body collapsed.” He told her. The memory was still vivid in his mind. No one could make him wake up, not even the doctor. They had to drive him to the nearest hospital and for days they were left with no news from him. Jill's smile faded away, leaving Carlos disappointed. 

“The army dismissed him after that. He wasn’t fit for the job.”

The cloth was set carefully on her forehead and Jill shuddered a little due to the cold water meeting her hot skin. However, it was only for the first seconds. After, she relaxed with the calming, cold feeling. Cleaning her thoughts from the foggy fever.

“A few years went by,” Carlos told her, “When I moved to my job in the city, I discovered he had become a doctor and was going to get married in a few months.”

“A happy ending.” There was a small curve on Jill’s lips when she said that. 

Maybe because Carlos didn’t expect Valentine to believe in such a thing, he fell silent. And yet, the tiny smile on her face made him realize how bad he wanted to see her happy. Finding peace. Living the life she deserved. In the end, all of those thoughts would remain forever in his mind, never daring to share it with someone else. But he still wished silently for her wellbeing. Jill deserved to find happiness, somewhere,  _ someday. _

“Yes,” He finally says. “I hope he’s living a good life.”

Carlos didn’t comment that the city where Samuel lived was Raccoon City, nor that he was working in the same hospital they stayed in. He was dead. Infected by the virus or killed by the explosion.

There was no happy ending for him.

***

“Good news! Someone is going to come pick us up tomorrow.”

The night had come again, a little colder than the one before. And Carlos had stayed almost the entire afternoon trying to contact someone - he owed that to Jill -, and he knew if he came back with nothing for another day, she would be more than disappointed. So, he worked. Of course, it was unpredictable if they could trust the ones behind the phone call. They would have to be careful. At least he got to watch the sun go down in a beautiful sunset behind the trees.

“Good.” Jill answered, seeming pleased with the news. 

She was sitting against the wall, with the blankets covering her legs. Looking ten times better than in the morning. Thankfully, the medicine had worked out in the end – in that case, staying in bed also helped, but Carlos wasn’t going to point that out. The fact that Jill was already prepared for another challenge was enough to prove that she was unstoppable. 

“Your fever seems to have calmed down.” He pointed out. Jill shook her head in agreement.

The determination on her body features and the fierce look on her face would tell everything - she emanated such energy that was amusing to watch. By tomorrow she would be brand new, ready to face the world again. And Carlos didn’t know how to name the feeling growing inside him. It was a mixture of pride and admiration – and maybe more than that, but he was too unsure to acknowledge that just yet. 

“I brought something for you to eat,” The can was hot, the soup was heated in a poorly made stove based on the abilities Carlos still remembered from the survival classes. He wanted to make sure that Jill got at least one last good meal before heading to danger tomorrow – if that could be considered a good meal. “Here.”

Jill thanked him with a nod, accepting the can with both hands. Carlos sat down on the bed next to her and they ate in silence again - saving from the sounds coming from her when she would blow the soup to make it cooler. He couldn’t help the small smile that curled his lips.

And then again, he caught Jill staring at him. Well,  _ maybe _ this time it was him who started, he could never know. Somehow, along the way, they had started this and now it was too hopeless to think it would stop anytime. And like before, there was something thickening the air, a strange tension built up for days, ready to explode. 

It would make the beneath the surface of his skin boil. It itched, but he didn't know _ what _ to scratch - if there was something  _ on him _ that he could pinch to make it stop. It was dangerous and foolish this game they’ve been playing. 

And there were her  _ eyes _ . The amount of weight she would put into it made it worse - how was he supposed to hold something so  _ heavy _ ? This time, it was Carlos who looked away. Suddenly, the tomato soup was more interesting than those haunting, beautiful eyes. He knew he was only fooling himself, it didn’t help when the signs were ambiguous like that.

“I want to take a shower.” Jill told him after both of them had finished eating. He picked up the cans and nodded. 

They made their way back downstairs, Carlos holding the last candle left in the house. It was dark and cold, so the little warmth of the candle was pretty much welcomed. He threw the cans in the trash, and before Jill could leave for the bathroom, he handed her the candle. 

She looked suspicious at first, but then understood the action without him needing to say a word. Carlos wanted to give her space and privacy, she could go and stay as much as she needed. It was up to her to move around the house, he would be fine waiting in the room. 

Jill shook her head, accepting the candle, and without wasting any time, disappeared in the hallways that led to the bathroom. He waited a minute, letting his eyes get used to the darkness before heading back to the room. 

***

“Everything alright, Supercop?” 

Carlos was by the window when Jill went back to the bedroom. It was dark, the only light entering was from the moon, at its full that night. And it would illuminate half of his face, a dull white against it. The candle was gone, burned down to its wick while she was still in the shower, not even the cold stopped her from staying there for a long time. Something about showers made her believe that it was possible to wash away almost everything. 

“Yeah… Feeling a lot better.” She replied with a snort. That nickname appeared when they first met, she found it funny that he was still insisting on calling her like that - it amused her because she knew he wasn’t kidding. 

Jill stopped right beside him, breathing the clean air from the woods. She was sick for only one day and a half and it seemed she had stayed in that state for weeks. It had consumed her in a way she couldn’t describe, burned her from inside out, made her feel helpless. And again, Carlos was there to help her. She wondered what could’ve happened if she had never met him in the first place. The wind blew from the woods, colder than any other night they’ve spent there. It didn’t bother her anymore. 

“That’s good, we have a long day tomorrow.” Carlos said, looking at her from the corner of his eyes. He wasn’t subtle at all. “What are you going to do?”

_ What _ was she going to do indeed? There were so many things in her mind, she needed to organize the priority of each task she wanted to do. Of course, destroying Umbrella was the first in the list. However, she needed to be smart. Things weren’t going to be easy from now on, they knew she held huge knowledge about them and what they did. They even created that monstrosity to go after her, to make her stay silent forever. Jill was more than proud to say they didn’t accomplish, or rather, failed  _ miserably _ in that task. 

“First, I need to see if I can get at least a sample of the vaccine.” She told him. The fragment of that broken vial was still on her hands. It was still a proof. That could work. She would make it work. 

“But it was destroyed by that  _ fucker _ Nikolai.” Carlos commented, sounding angry. His face twisted in angry scowl, clenching his hands - if he could punch that bastard again, he definitely would.

“I know.” Jill said, feeling restless. “But maybe it’s possible to get at least a sample from the remains.” She didn’t sound hopeful at all, it was a shot in the dark she was willing to try. Probably a waste of energy and time, but what else could she do? If the virus didn’t spread now, it was going to anytime soon. 

“After that, I’m going after Umbrella.” Jill said with a strong will. “They  _ will  _ pay for what they’ve done. They  _ must _ pay.” The determination in her voice jumped out when she hit the wooden frame of the window with her fist. 

Nothing could stop her from accomplishing that. The anger that was building inside her was enough to keep her going. They would pay for all those innocent lives, cruelly taken because of a careless and cruel experiment aimed for their own greedy and selfishness. If they didn’t care, she wouldn’t feel guilty by not caring too.

“They will.” Carlos agreed, nodding his head. “And I want to help you.” He turned, looking directly at her eyes. 

Jill took a moment to stare back at Carlos. She guessed he was going to say that, knowing from the start he wasn’t going to let her go alone against the corporation. They worked pretty well together and she trusted him. Jill was good at working alone, however, she had a team to watch her back when it was needed. So why do his words bother her that much?

“It involves me now.” Carlos cut straight away, before she could say anything against it. “After all, I know what they’ve done.”

Jill still couldn’t find the proper words to explain her thoughts, so she remained quiet. Those dark and hopeful eyes watching every movement she did. It was his right to do whatever he wanted, and still, he was asking her. Asking her because he would respect anything she decided. Maybe that’s why it bothered her so much - she knew it was hopeless to pretend she didn’t want him closer. She felt safe and comfortable. They had a chemistry that not many have - working with someone that _understood_ and _believed_ in you was actually really nice.

It was going to be like that then. “Okay.” She finally said, running her hand through her hair and biting her lips. 

And in that single movement the atmosphere between them shifted completely. Carlos stared openly at her mouth and she noticed how his hand flinched, just for a fraction of time. 

Jill was not a romantic person, there was never space for love in her life to begin with. Everything she knew was that people would leave as soon as they got a glimpse of what her life was like. Not that she blamed them though. It was hard to keep up even for her. However,  _ that  _ was different, she could feel it melting the barriers she had built around herself throughout the years. 

If it’s only lust, then it wouldn’t be a problem. They could get over with it. But what if it  _ wasn’t _ ? 

Going against every sane thought screaming on her mind, her hand reached for his arm, touching him slightly. Awakening a spark that had been building up since the beginning. It was too late to try to stop what was happening between them.

It had begun long ago, on that exchange of glances on the train station, when she thought it was the last time she was going to see him, - it was disappointing then, she had actually liked him. Yet, hours later, they met again and had stuck together since then. Was it a signal from fate? She didn’t know, neither did she believe in such a thing. However, having him at her side wasn’t bad, it was genuinely assuring. 

Carlos was looking intensely at her, feeling his pulse erratic underneath his skin, fingers trembling with the touch - or maybe it was hers. It was hard to tell when his eyes felt like magnets, bringing her closer than she ever dared to be. Carlos had a way to pull her closer, as if she was gravitating towards him. And  _ inevitably  _ crashing into it. 

The thing was: she  _ didn’t _ want to walk away. And for the look on his face, neither did he. Jill stepped closer, the grip on his arm got stronger unintentionally – an attempt to ground herself from the drunken feeling growing on her chest. The warmth of his breath hit her face, making her shiver from head to toe. Carlos pursed his lips, slowly lifting his hand in her direction.

Then, it happened. 

Carlos’s lips were soft against hers. His hand sank into her hair, his fingers tangling up in the strands of dark brown strands while the other held her waist. The strong grip made her sigh against his mouth. He tilted his head to the side, just enough to sink into the kiss even more. 

And Jill had never been kissed with such  _ want. _

He pulled her closer, finally closing the remaining gap between them and she could feel every inch of his body against hers - the warmth of his skin was almost unbearable. The hand in her hair traveled along her face, enveloping her neck in a strong grip. His fingers caressing her skin ever so slightly. He kissed her with hunger, taking her breath away at any chance. 

Jill felt dizzy when their tongues met. He was touching her with so much  _ desire _ that her entire body was being consumed with a hunger she never felt before. Her hands revolved around his neck and she deepened the kiss again after pulling away just a little to breath. 

Carlos nibbled her bottom lip before pulling away. And before she could protest, his mouth met the cold skin of her neck and she couldn’t hold a groan then. His grip felt tighter when she voiced her pleasure, the way he sucked and kissed her skin made her want him even more. 

He traced his lips all the way down her neck, his beard tingling her skin. He sucked at a spot hard enough to leave a mark in the morning. And the only answer she gave was a hard pull on his hair, bringing his mouth to crash on hers again. His tongue played with hers while his hands wandered around her body, awakening every single dormant spot. 

Jill pulled away slowly, not daring to break the eye contact. There was no turning back now. However, she knew Carlos needed a green signal to continue any further. So, Jill did what came first on her mind. Her fingers were trembling with excitement when she gripped the bottom of her shirt, taking it off in a fast motion. 

It was hard to keep staring at Carlos' eyes, - the pitch black surrounding her, suffocating in the best way. Her breath caught in her throat when his eyes craved every single part of her, unsaid words she didn’t need to hear - she could  _ feel  _ it in every inch of her body. 

She gripped his shirt, pulling him towards the bed. And he followed, mesmerized by her beauty. They fell in the bed together. And Carlos didn’t waste any more time, kissing her with an open mouth, causing her to gasp for air between kisses. If he didn’t like to be scratched, he didn’t say anything – much in the contrary, every time Jill ran her fingernails down his spine, he would growl into her mouth. Thrusting in her slowly.

And she could  _ feel _ every hardening inch of him against her center, and it was so  _ good. _ When had been the last time she felt this aroused? She didn’t remember, nor did she care - there was no space in her mind to think on anything but  _ him _ . Carlos’ touches  _ burned _ her skin, and when he moved his hands to another place, the mark of his hot fingers remained there, - her legs, her waist, her face. Everything was marked by him and she was greedy enough to want to mark him too. 

His body was built up strong and defined. Every time she ran her hands on his back, the muscles underneath her fingers would shiver. If it wasn't for the almost desperate kisses, she would have explored even more the power her hands held. It would be amusing to see, and even better to taste it. 

Carlos left her mouth to kiss the sensitive skin of her neck, surprising her with a soft bite. She moaned and let her head fall heavier on the pillow. He kissed her lips again before tracing her neck and her chest with his lips. It set fire inside her, - that was a kind of fever she would like to have constantly. Carlos was worshiping her body, kissing and leaving soft bites on her breasts, her chest and stomach. Suddenly, he paused.

“Do you trust me?” Carlos asked very seriously, voice hoarse with lust. He had his hands on her waistband, showing exactly what he meant to do. 

And she found herself  _ craving _ for what he was offering. Jill licked her lips before answering, getting satisfied when he groaned in answer. 

“Yes.” She whispered, drunk enough on his smell to not care what he was going to do next. He saved her life, more than once. Took care of her, more than once. It was enough for her to trust him with her body too.

They stared intensely at each other. Her chest rising and falling rapidly. Even in the dark, she could see the bulge in front of his trousers, the pure show of desire. And it wasn’t different for her, he could feel the wetness between her legs too. 

His fingers traced the waistband, making her shiver from the slight touch on her sensitive skin. His eyes pierced her soul in a way she didn’t find invasive, instead, she would welcome those eyes to go even deeper. He moved to the end of the bed, kneeling in front of her. 

Jill helped him take her trousers off, lifting her body just a little. She was left with only a bra, spread in the sheets and she hoped he would see how much she was enjoying that. The hunger in his eyes was just a reflection of hers. 

Carlos pulled her closer to the end of the bed, that way he could kiss her everywhere he wanted.  _ Oh _ , and she hoped he would. The kisses went down her inner calf to her inner thighs and every time his beard brushed on her flesh, sparkles of pleasure would run down her spine. He would caress the outside of her legs while going deeper inside her. Her legs trembled underneath his touches, breathing was each time harder to control.

Jill gasped and let a moan escape when his mouth touched her right there. Her hands went directly to his head, holding his hair a little bit too harsh. She couldn’t help but arch in pleasure. He slipped his tongue between her folds, giving hard strokes on her clit with his tongue. 

It was impossible to not squirm then. Jill found herself moaning in the middle of that quiet room, her voice echoing throughout the entire house. The effects of her voice were instantly on him, - and she felt compelled to provoke him then. The grip on her leg was harder than before, it would probably leave marks but she didn’t care. She could feel his moans vibrating through her skin while she voiced her enjoyment. And  _ fuck _ , that was going to drive her  _ insane. _

All Jill cared was how his tongue deepened even more inside her, sucking on her clit. Leaving her breathless and a mess of strangled cries and whimpers. Carlos would drag his tongue along her insides, licking and sucking all the way until she found herself rolling her eyes back in pleasure. And as he strongly held her in place, his eyes came to meet hers. 

And the sight was enough to make Jill groan again. His hair was a mess, half of it still between her fingers, his face was flushed, his mouth swollen from all the things he had done to her so far. Jill was sure that she looked like a mess too, the sweat rolling down her temples would pretty much say everything. 

He continued to drag his tongue inside her, but this time looking directly at her. It was so erotic she thought she couldn’t make it, but somehow her eyes stayed glued to his, watching him eat her up from there. Every touch on her sensitive bud would send electric waves down her spine, and she would bring his head even closer without even noticing.

It was when his thumb touched her clit that she lost it. Her head fell in the pillow and one of her hands clutched the sheets. Her knots turned white while Carlos was building up even more the tension inside her. Her legs would tremble more than ever, the feeling of the rough thumb circling her insides was enough to make the friction even more unbearable. 

“ _ Carlos. _ ” Jill moaned between muffled whimpers. 

And that single word made Carlos turn into something even more feral, lustful. The pace of his tongue became faster, his mouth sucking her even harder, his thumb pressed her clit in such a rough way that drove her to the edge. The combination of his touches, the warmth of his mouth and the way he looked at her with raw desire was enough to bring her to her climax. 

Jill’s body went rigid underneath Carlos and she finally found her relief. Her head fell into the pillow, and her spine arched painfully. A long whimper left her mouth before completely collapsing in the bed, completely exhausted. But feeling so  _ good. _

Carlos kept moving his finger, working her down from the orgasm until she was oversensitive. He left a last kiss there before tracing kisses along her body. His beard brushing her flesh only helped to make her body entirely shiver. 

When he kissed her again, she thought it would be strange, tasting herself on his tongue. But then again, Carlos could make anything acceptable. She welcomed him in without any restriction. And even with her head still foggy, the desire to go even further lurked on her mind. 

It was on the tip of his tongue; the words could come out of his mouth anytime soon. However, Carlos found a way to express them without having to say anything. Jill’s body was so warm under his touch - the coldness he found when he first touched her was now gone, replaced by a heat that would intoxicate his mind and clog his thoughts.

The way she was kissing him was unbelievable. He could melt in her mouth from only those touches filled with greed, with need. And Carlos was more than happy to accept those feelings, after all, he believed his feelings were even more intense – He made sure to state that. 

He was still in a drunken state of mind when Jill hands went for the hem of his shirt. Which he quickly took it off, eager to feel her body against his, without anything in the way. He groaned when her skin touched his. Her hands went down his shoulders to his chest, tangling her fingers in his chest hair, pulling just a little to teased. And he groaned again against her throat. 

He was taken off guard when Jill pushed him away, and immediately thought he had fucked up the whole thing. However, she was just switching places, quickly getting on top of him, straddling his thighs. Her ass fell on his cock and he moaned with the contact. He was so hard from hearing all those sounds coming from her, the beauty of the mess he had made of her, it was hard not to come with just that sight.

And  _ damn _ , Jill seemed surreal from there. The light of the moon shining behind her, outlining her curves. She was a goodness on earth and Carlos was the luckiest man in the entire world that night. She stopped moving ever so slightly when she caught sight of something on his shoulder. 

“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt anymore.” He said, caressing her tights a little more gentle, drawing small circles to slow down their pace. He was still built up from the previous act, but that could wait. 

The bullet wound was still there. It bothered him sometimes, it hurt if he moved too much. But when he remembered it was that or being  _ dead _ , suddenly it was bearable. He had taken care of it since then but it still looked a little bloody, the bruised skin slowly healing. 

Jill’s fingers traced around the wound and Carlos really wanted to know what she was thinking. The way she stared at it made him get even more hard, even if he tried not to. Was she thinking about a world without him? If so, he didn’t want to think about it. He was ready to die that night, all he wanted was Jill to get the vaccine. In the end, the vaccine was gone but he was  _ alive. _

Alive to live this moment with her, and for an instant he wondered if he had gone to heaven. Probably not, the things he had done wouldn’t have given him a sit next to God’s company. But gave him a place next to her, and he was willing to admit it was much better. 

For a moment, Jill lowered herself, getting closer to his face. In the last minute though, she changed the course, - and Carlos was  _ almost  _ disappointed. Instead, she planted a soft kiss on his wound, and after that, a lot of more kisses around it. And Carlos felt warmth spreading on his chest to all of his body. He caressed her back, silently thanking her. 

“It’s like my mother would always say,” He couldn’t help himself, “A kiss to heal.”

Jill laughed at that, leaving one last kiss on the wound before retreating. And she looked so astonishing, when the smile was sincere on her face, when she was relaxed and not wearing her heavy armor. He was a  _ lucky bastard _ indeed. To see her like this, to taste and touch her whenever he wanted. 

They stared at each other, and Carlos could hear his heartbeat.  _ What now?  _ It was up to her to decide where they would take this. He wouldn’t put any pressure on her. And probably knowing that, her hand went for the hem of her bra, taking it off.

And there she was, all naked above him. For  _ him _ . 

Her breasts fell gracefully on her chest, making him groan out in pleasure while his cock got harder against her ass. The lust he felt towards her, he never felt with anyone else. Maybe because he knew Jill was much more than a pretty face. She was so much  _ more _ . His interest in her went beyond the superficial area, it had become something deeper - he couldn’t explain it anymore. 

He was hers that night, and he would take the chance to make her his too. 

Jill started to roll her hips, creating a friction that was too much to handle. Carlos moaned loud, - he was so painfully hard. And she could feel, the look on her face, the way she rolled her hips even slower, licking her lips, - she  _ wanted _ to drive him crazy. And if she continued like that, he would come for sure. The grip on her thighs would leave marks in the morning.

“ _Jill_.” He called between clenched teeth. “ _You’re driving me_ _crazy_.”

And she  _ moaned _ , just like that. And Carlos could  _ swear _ it was her intention all along. 

Her hair fell on her face when she got on her knees. The sweat rolling down her neck fell on his skin, and it  _ burned _ . Jill went for his waistband, pulling them down painfully slowly for him. He was free from the last piece of clothes then; his length lay splayed across his belly. There was nothing separating them anymore. 

Jill closed her fingers around him, stroking ever so slightly. Carlos moaned with the touch, her hand was somehow soft - he could get lost only with that if she tried. He pulled her closer to him by grabbing her ass and she understood the message. It was so painful but so enticing at the same time. He wanted to be inside her so badly he couldn’t wait anymore. However, there was a problem…

“We don’t hav…” He started to say but was shushed by her right away. 

“It’s okay.” Jill assured him. 

And before he could say anything on the matter, she roused up, supporting herself on his shoulder, only to ease down onto him. And as he watched his length entering her, he left a carnal sound escape from him. It had come to that in the end, him becoming a mess of himself under her touch. When she slid the rest down he rolled his eyes, grabbing her waist and unceremoniously sinking his fingers into her skin, a long moan followed through. 

_ “Damnit, Jill.”  _ He cursed under his breath. 

She was so hot inside, her walls clenching around him would have driven him to the edge if it wasn’t for his will. Jill was panting hard. Her fingernails dipped in his skin - the pain only increasing the pleasure. 

They stared at each other, letting the sensation skin in. Her eyes were a pit of black because of the lust and her lips were parted, swallowed. And all he wanted to do was kiss her again. All he wanted was to touch her, for a long time, marking every inch of her body with his mouth.

When Jill started to move, Carlos knew he wasn’t going to last long. She started with a slow pace, experimenting a few angles until she seemed to find a perfect spot. Jill moaned and the sight from up close was even more sensual then when he watched her moan between her legs. 

He watched in delight, her breasts going up and down against her chest, her hard nipples begging to be touched, - and it was what he did. His hand cupped it, and it fitted so perfectly between his fingers. His thumb pressed on it, circling, rubbing the area. She bit her lips in response.

Carlos couldn’t hold his moans anymore while Jill was rocking for him, urging him in. She rode him underneath the pale moonlight and every time she sank deeper he could feel his toes curl in pleasure. It was _too_ _much_ , but _never enough_. 

Though, he knew his orgasm was closer, so he left her nipples and brought his thumb to start rolling in a slow circle over her clit. Jill fell over, moaning with pleasure, her spine arching while she held herself on his shoulders. 

_ Oh _ , she was  _ definitely _ going to the death of him.

Carlos circled her waist with his arm and brought her closer, their bodies crashing into each other. The feeling of her hard nipples against his skin, her sweat mixing with his, made him sob in pure bliss. He supported his legs in the bed and started to pound even deeper inside her, holding her down with one arm and the other one grabbing her ass. 

He kissed her deeply between muffled moans. And he could hear the bed hitting the wall, each time louder than the other. The sounds of that night would be forever imprinted on that house, for as long as it remained up. Jill supported herself with one hand on the wall and the other was tangled on his hair. She kissed him desperately, with teeth and all. They were both on the edge of their sanity. 

It was with a hard thrust and a bite on his shoulder that he came. Holding Jill almost painfully while the orgasm washed over him. She came right after him, jerking violently. Both moaned each other’s name when the release finally came. 

Jill’s head fell between the crack of his shoulder and her body collapsed on top of him, her breath coming out fast and shallow. Carlos was out of breath as well, breathing in deep each time. He could feel every inch of his body relaxed, every inch of his body coming down from the best orgasm he has  _ ever _ had. 

Carlos stroked Jill’s back, his cock was still buried inside her, throbbing and hot around him. He didn’t want that moment to end. So, he kept caressing her. Her shoulders, her back and all the way down her spine. It was soft skin with a few marks of scars, he hoped he would be able to kiss all of them one day. 

Jill lifted her head from his neck, as much as she wanted to stay there, with him buried inside her, she needed to let go. Still feeling dizzy, she glanced at him from under her heavy eyelids. He was such a mess, so  _ fucking _ hot. The sweat had glued his hair to his forehead, his lips were swollen and his eyes were half open. She left a chaste kiss on his lips before lifting her lower body. 

She slipped out of him in the process with a wet noise – and somehow it felt empty. She was full of his seed now, but it wouldn’t bloom into anything. She wasn’t a woman with a great fertility rate anyway. And even if she was, she would’ve taken the chances. That had been simply…  _ Incredible. _ If that’s what sex was supposed to feel like, she wasted her time with the others guys. 

The bed was small for two, but they made it work. And for the first time, Jill let someone cuddle her. Carlos embraced her from behind, his arms hugging her waist while his face was buried on the crack of her shoulder. His stomach was warm against her back. It felt…  _ Nice.  _

The moon was still up in the sky and slowly the sounds of the woods filled their ears, Carlos moved just a little farther away to catch the blanket. Now that the heat was calming down, the cold air was heating their bare skins. 

After covering both of them and making sure they wouldn’t be cold during the night, Carlos held Jill in his arms, deepening the contact. His face went back to the crack of her shoulders. She felt peace with the warmth he emanated, his smell filled her mind. 

“Thank you.” Carlos whispered in her ear. 

And Jill was ready to ask  _ why _ but stop on her tracks. She understood then. 

***

The morning came sooner than she would’ve liked. The rays of light entered the room, warming up their bodies that were still tangled together underneath the blanket. Carlos’ breath was calm and steady against her shoulder, probably still deep in sleep. She enjoyed the moment as long as it would last. 

Jill has always been the type of getting little sleep, always having something to write, to study, to do. There was no time to have a break. It was a privilege she definitely didn’t have. However, those few days she spent in that house in the middle of the woods, she got a lot of rest, somehow  _ forced to _ , but she wouldn’t complain. It was enough to make her think she hasn't felt this rested and ready for what would have come next in years. Maybe Carlos was right in the end.

Jill was surprised when she noticed that the sun was up in the sky, based on what she knew, it was almost noon. How long did they sleep? Well, at least the rescue team wasn’t there yet, she would’ve been mortified if they had caught them in that situation. 

“Carlos” Jill called in a whisper. “Wake up.” As much as she wanted to stay in his arms for just a little longer, it was time to get ready. 

Carlos grunted and moved around, his arms still wrapped around her. “We don’t have school today.” He said, his eyes still closed. 

“Of course we don’t.” Jill replied with a scoff, rolling her eyes.

“And that’s my point.” Carlos said playfully. His mouth so close to her neck she could swear he was going to kiss it.

Jill laughed at that, who would have guessed that Carlos Oliveira was a lazy person in the morning? Although, she could understand. The feeling from last night was still lingering in all the parts of her body, the satisfaction alone was making her bones feel like jelly. A type of lightness she would pretty much welcome anytime. 

“I want to take a shower.” She said, trying to get out of his embrace which this time she found no resistance. His arms fell in the bed when she got up, but his eyes would stay glued on her while she looked around the room for a shirt to cover herself.

“Can I go with you?” Carlos asked from the bed. 

Jill couldn’t help but look at him. And if she didn’t know better, she could swear her cheeks burned for just a second. He was sitting on the bed and his arms were behind his head, his chest under the light of the sun outlined his defined abdomen. He looked so comfortable, so at ease. It was very inviting for sure. 

“I’m just kidding.” He laughed when Jill didn’t say anything. But she knew underneath the playfulness of his tone, there was truth to his words. 

She picked her old clothes and threw a last glance at him before leaving the room, heading to the shower. She needed a cold shower to wake her up for good. And also, to wash off all the sweat and  _ other things _ that had stuck on her body. 

For a moment, Jill thought about the tension that had been building up since the beginning. She didn’t feel it anymore when she glanced at him in that morning. It changed to something lighter. Although, there was for sure  _ something else _ that was born that night, that would make her eyes search for him, expecting, craving. In the end, she was drawn to him no matter what. 

***

Jill was surprised to see Carlos in the kitchen, he was drinking a bottle of water and biting into a cereal bar. His gaze was far away and probably his mind was too because he only noticed her presence when she leaned on the kitchen countertop next to him. Carlos switched his gaze to her and smiled, offering a cereal bar. 

“They definitely taste like shit, but it’s the only thing left.” He said, twisting his face in disgust. 

Jill accepted the cereal bar, - and even though it  _ really _ tasted bad - she was so hungry that it didn’t bother her that much. The quiet atmosphere between them was pleasant and she was extremely thankful for that. 

The fact that he was still acting like before, not touching her affectionately as if they were a couple was a great relief. She would’ve been so disappointed if it came down to that. Carlos was a grown man, and he understood their situation. 

And she couldn’t help but thought that maybe,  _ just maybe _ when it was all over, they could meet again. And she would be more than happy to try something else, if he still wanted her then, like he obviously wanted her now.  _ If  _ they were still alive. Then, she silently promised that she would think about it, leaving a space on her heart for that possibility. 

The sound of tires on the road took her out of her thoughts. Jill looked at Carlos and he nodded. The rescue was coming. They both walked over to look through the window, analyzing each movement of the team. In the end, they looked pretty normal, there were no heavy guns waiting for them outside. 

“Alright, Supercop,” Carlos handed her her bag that was by the door. “Time to go.” He had put his vest back on. 

Jill accepted the bag, getting ready to face the world again. “Yeah, let’s go.” 

And when Carlos smiled at her, Jill nodded, smiling back. He opened the door and she watched him go first, waving to the men that were waiting by a pickup truck. And Jill realized that even If they never met again in this life, he had marked her forever. There was no way of forgetting him. 

She wouldn’t even try to. 

**Author's Note:**

> if you wanna talk, you can find me here:  
> twitter: @cryinbravado  
> tumblr: @thgreatestblue


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